Sign in with user authentication (browser)

This tutorial demonstrates how to implement user authentication in your client applications using the ArcGISIdentityManager class in ArcGIS REST JS. This will allow users of your application to sign in with their ArcGIS account, granting your application access to the privileges and items associated with it.

Prerequisites

You need an ArcGIS Location Platform, ArcGIS Online, or ArcGIS Enterprise account.

Steps

Create OAuth credentials

A set of OAuth credentials are required for user authentication. These credentials are created as an item in your organization's portal.

Sign in to your portal.
Click Content > My content > New item and select Developer credentials.
In the Credential types menu, select OAuth credentials.
Add a redirect URL to your OAuth credentials in the format "https://<server>[:port]/callback.html" or http://my-arcgis-app:/auth. For example, if you are running your application on https://localhost:8080 add https://localhost:8080/callback.html, to the list of redirect URLs. You will create the callback.html page later in this tutorial.
In the Privileges and Item access menus, click Next. These properties do not apply to user authentication.
Review your selections and, when you are ready, click Generate credentials.

Sign in to your portal.
Click Content > My content > New item and select Developer credentials.
Add a redirect URL to your OAuth credentials in the format "https://<server>[:port]" or http://my-arcgis-app:/auth. For example, if you are running your application on https://localhost:8080 add https://localhost:8080/callback.html, to the list of redirect URLs. You will create the callback.html page later in this tutorial.
In the Privileges and Item access menus, click Next. These properties do not apply to user authentication.
Review your selections and, when you are ready, click Generate credentials.

Scaffold HTML

Begin by creating a basic HTML page containing a button directing the user to the authorization page or pop-up. This will be the primary application page.

Create an HTML file to be used for your application. Add references to the arcgis-rest-request package and Calcite components.

index.html
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<html>
    <head>
        <meta charset="utf-8" />
        <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no" />
        <title>User authentication starter app (ArcGIS REST JS)</title>

        <!-- ArcGIS REST JS used for user authentication. -->
        <script src="https://unpkg.com/@esri/arcgis-rest-request@4.2.1/dist/bundled/request.umd.min.js"></script>

        <!-- Calcite components used for authentication buttons. -->
        <script type="module" src=https://js.arcgis.com/calcite-components/1.4.3/calcite.esm.js></script>
        <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href=https://js.arcgis.com/calcite-components/1.4.3/calcite.css />

    </head>
    <body>

    </body>

</html>

Create "Sign in" and "Sign out" buttons with the calcite-button component. Add a style tag with CSS to position them properly on the screen.

index.html
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    </head>
    <body>

        <calcite-panel class="auth-buttons">
            <calcite-button id="sign-in">Sign in with ArcGIS</calcite-button>
            <calcite-button id="sign-out" class="hide" appearance="outline-fill">Sign out</calcite-button>
        </calcite-panel>

    </body>
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Create an authentication script

The authentication code in this tutorial is implemented in a separate block. Create a <script> to handle user authentication, and a second <script> to handle your main app logic.

Create a <script> tag to handle user authentication. Define a method called handleSignIn that will contain the authentication logic.

index.html
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        <calcite-panel class="auth-buttons">
            <calcite-button id="sign-in">Sign in with ArcGIS</calcite-button>
            <calcite-button id="sign-out" class="hide" appearance="outline-fill">Sign out</calcite-button>
        </calcite-panel>

        <script>
            /* User authentication script */

            const handleSignIn = async (initApp, destroyApp) => {

            }

        </script>

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Create another <script> to handle your main app logic. Define two methods called initApp and destroyApp that will be called when the user signs in and out, respectively.

index.html
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        <calcite-panel class="auth-buttons">
            <calcite-button id="sign-in">Sign in with ArcGIS</calcite-button>
            <calcite-button id="sign-out" class="hide" appearance="outline-fill">Sign out</calcite-button>
        </calcite-panel>

        <script>
            /* User authentication script */

            const handleSignIn = async (initApp, destroyApp) => {

            }

        </script>

        <script>
            /* Main script */

            const initApp = (session) => {
                console.log(`Successfully authenticated as ${session.username}.\nAccess token: ${session.token}`);
                // This method is called after the user signs in. Write your main app logic here.

            }

            const destroyApp = () => {
                // This method is called after the user signs out
                return;
            }

        </script>
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Call handleSignIn at the bottom of your main script. Pass your initApp and destroyApp methods to be called within the authentication script.

index.html
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        <calcite-panel class="auth-buttons">
            <calcite-button id="sign-in">Sign in with ArcGIS</calcite-button>
            <calcite-button id="sign-out" class="hide" appearance="outline-fill">Sign out</calcite-button>
        </calcite-panel>

        <script>
            /* User authentication script */

            const handleSignIn = async (initApp, destroyApp) => {

            }

        </script>

        <script>
            /* Main script */

            const initApp = (session) => {
                console.log(`Successfully authenticated as ${session.username}.\nAccess token: ${session.token}`);
                // This method is called after the user signs in. Write your main app logic here.

            }

            const destroyApp = () => {
                // This method is called after the user signs out
                return;
            }

            // Handle user authentication
            handleSignIn(initApp,destroyApp);

        </script>
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Set credential values

Go to the item page of the OAuth credentials you created earlier.

Paste the Client ID and redirect URL into your application.

index.html
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        <script>
            /* User authentication script */

            const handleSignIn = async (initApp, destroyApp) => {

                // Your client ID from OAuth credentials
                const clientId = 'YOUR_CLIENT_ID';
                // The redirect URL registered in your OAuth credentials
                const redirectUri = 'YOUR_REDIRECT_URL';

            }

        </script>
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Begin OAuth authentication

Add an event listener to the sign-in button that will trigger OAuth authentication on click.

index.html
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        <script>
            /* User authentication script */

            const handleSignIn = async (initApp, destroyApp) => {

                // Your client ID from OAuth credentials
                const clientId = 'YOUR_CLIENT_ID';
                // The redirect URL registered in your OAuth credentials
                const redirectUri = 'YOUR_REDIRECT_URL';

                // Sign in logic
                const signInButton = document.getElementById('sign-in');
                signInButton.addEventListener('click',()=>{

                })

            }

        </script>
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Call ArcGISIdentityManager.beginOAuth2 to begin OAuth authentication. Pass your clientId and redirectUri. This method will open a new window at the authorization endpoint that prompts users to sign in with an ArcGIS account.

index.html
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                // Sign in logic
                const signInButton = document.getElementById('sign-in');
                signInButton.addEventListener('click',()=>{

                    // Use ArcGIS REST JS to handle OAuth2.0 authentication
                    arcgisRest.ArcGISIdentityManager.beginOAuth2({
                        clientId: clientId,
                        redirectUri: redirectUri,
                        popup: true
                    })

                })
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Upon signing in successfully, this window will redirect the browser to the provided redirectUri address.

Create a callback page

Once the user has signed in, the browser will be redirected to the address of the provided redirect URI. Create a new HTML page at this address called callback.html to complete OAuth authentication.

Create a new page called callback.html and import REST JS. Make sure the location of this page matches the redirect URL you provided to your OAuth credentials.

callback.html
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<!DOCTYPE html>
  <head>
    <title>User authentication OAuth2.0 callback (ArcGIS REST JS)</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <script type="module">
      import { ArcGISIdentityManager } from 'https://esm.run/@esri/arcgis-rest-request@4';

    </script>
  </body>
</html>

Paste your Client ID and redirect URL into the application. These should be identical to the values in index.html.

callback.html
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<!DOCTYPE html>
  <head>
    <title>User authentication OAuth2.0 callback (ArcGIS REST JS)</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <script type="module">
      import { ArcGISIdentityManager } from 'https://esm.run/@esri/arcgis-rest-request@4';

      // Your client ID from OAuth credentials
      const clientId = 'YOUR_CLIENT_ID';
      // The redirect URL registered in your OAuth credentials
      const redirectUri = 'YOUR_REDIRECT_URL';

    </script>
  </body>
</html>

Call ArcGISIdentityManager.completeOAuth2 to complete OAuth authentication. Pass your clientId and redirectUri. This method receives the authorization code generated when a user signs in and uses it to request an access token.

callback.html
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      // Your client ID from OAuth credentials
      const clientId = 'YOUR_CLIENT_ID';
      // The redirect URL registered in your OAuth credentials
      const redirectUri = 'YOUR_REDIRECT_URL';

      ArcGISIdentityManager.completeOAuth2({
          clientId,
          redirectUri
      })

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Handle app state

Once OAuth2.0 authorization is complete, the beginOAuth2 call in index.html will resolve to a valid user session. Create a signed in state for your app that triggers once a user signs in.

In index.html, add a then method to ArcGISIdentityManager.beginOAuth2 that is called when the promise resolves. This allows you to access information about the signed-in user's session.

index.html
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                // Sign in logic
                const signInButton = document.getElementById('sign-in');
                signInButton.addEventListener('click',()=>{

                    // Use ArcGIS REST JS to handle OAuth2.0 authentication
                    arcgisRest.ArcGISIdentityManager.beginOAuth2({
                        clientId: clientId,
                        redirectUri: redirectUri,
                        popup: true
                    })

                    .then((newSession) => {

                    });

                })
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Create an updateAppState method to handle updates to the app state. Call it and pass in the session info.

index.html
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            const handleSignIn = async (initApp, destroyApp) => {

                // Your client ID from OAuth credentials
                const clientId = 'YOUR_CLIENT_ID';
                // The redirect URL registered in your OAuth credentials
                const redirectUri = 'YOUR_REDIRECT_URL';

                // Handle signed in and signed out app states
                const updateAppState = (sessionInfo) => {

                }

                // Sign in logic
                const signInButton = document.getElementById('sign-in');
                signInButton.addEventListener('click',()=>{

                    // Use ArcGIS REST JS to handle OAuth2.0 authentication
                    arcgisRest.ArcGISIdentityManager.beginOAuth2({
                        clientId: clientId,
                        redirectUri: redirectUri,
                        popup: true
                    })

                    .then((newSession) => {

                        updateAppState(newSession);

                    });

                })

            }
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Update the calcite buttons when a user is signed in, and call the passed initApp method to trigger your main app logic.

index.html
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            const handleSignIn = async (initApp, destroyApp) => {

                // Your client ID from OAuth credentials
                const clientId = 'YOUR_CLIENT_ID';
                // The redirect URL registered in your OAuth credentials
                const redirectUri = 'YOUR_REDIRECT_URL';

                // Handle signed in and signed out app states
                const updateAppState = (sessionInfo) => {

                    if (sessionInfo) {

                        // Signed in button state
                        signOutButton.innerHTML = `Sign out: ${sessionInfo.username}`;
                        signOutButton.classList.remove('hide');
                        signInButton.classList.add('hide');

                        // Method called when user signs in
                        initApp(sessionInfo);

                    }

                }
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Add an event listener to the sign-out button that updates the app state when the user clicks "Sign out".

index.html
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                // Sign in logic
                const signInButton = document.getElementById('sign-in');
                signInButton.addEventListener('click',()=>{

                    // Use ArcGIS REST JS to handle OAuth2.0 authentication
                    arcgisRest.ArcGISIdentityManager.beginOAuth2({
                        clientId: clientId,
                        redirectUri: redirectUri,
                        popup: true
                    })

                    .then((newSession) => {

                        updateAppState(newSession);

                    });

                })

                // Sign out logic
                const signOutButton = document.getElementById('sign-out');
                signOutButton.addEventListener('click', () => updateAppState(null));
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Update the calcite buttons when a user signs out, and call the passed destroyApp method to trigger your main app logic.

index.html
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                // Handle signed in and signed out app states
                const updateAppState = (sessionInfo) => {

                    if (sessionInfo) {

                        // Signed in button state
                        signOutButton.innerHTML = `Sign out: ${sessionInfo.username}`;
                        signOutButton.classList.remove('hide');
                        signInButton.classList.add('hide');

                        // Method called when user signs in
                        initApp(sessionInfo);

                    }

                    else {

                        // Signed out button state
                        signOutButton.classList.add('hide');
                        signInButton.classList.remove('hide');

                        // Method called when user signs out
                        destroyApp();

                    }

                }
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Create a session from local storage

ArcGIS REST JS does not include tools for persisting a session after retrieving session information. You must decide how to implement persisting the session and specify where the user goes after they authorize your application.

Create a serializedSession function that checks if there is a session in local storage.

index.html
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                // Sign out logic
                const signOutButton = document.getElementById('sign-out');
                signOutButton.addEventListener('click', () => updateAppState(null));

                // Check the browser's local storage for existing sessions
                const serializedSession = localStorage.getItem("__ARCGIS_REST_USER_SESSION__");

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If a session is found, use the ArcGISIdentityManager.deserialize method to parse the serializedSession data and update the app state.

index.html
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                // Check the browser's local storage for existing sessions
                const serializedSession = localStorage.getItem("__ARCGIS_REST_USER_SESSION__");

                if (serializedSession !== null && serializedSession !== "undefined") {
                    const session = arcgisRest.ArcGISIdentityManager.deserialize(serializedSession);
                    updateAppState(session);
                }
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In your updateAppState method, set the session in local storage when a user signs in. Clear the session from local storage when a user signs out.

index.html
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                // Handle signed in and signed out app states
                const updateAppState = (sessionInfo) => {

                    if (sessionInfo) {

                        // Set user session in browser storage
                        localStorage.setItem("__ARCGIS_REST_USER_SESSION__", JSON.stringify(sessionInfo));

                        // Signed in button state
                        signOutButton.innerHTML = `Sign out: ${sessionInfo.username}`;
                        signOutButton.classList.remove('hide');
                        signInButton.classList.add('hide');

                        // Method called when user signs in
                        initApp(sessionInfo);

                    }

                    else {

                        // Clear user session
                        localStorage.removeItem("__ARCGIS_REST_USER_SESSION__");

                        // Signed out button state
                        signOutButton.classList.add('hide');
                        signInButton.classList.remove('hide');

                        // Method called when user signs out
                        destroyApp();

                    }

                }
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Run the app

Run the application and navigate to your localhost, for example: https://localhost:8080.

You should see a blank page with a blue "Sign in" button:
Clicking the button should open a pop-up window that prompts you to enter the credentials of an ArcGIS account.

If this step does not work, your clientId or redirectUri are not configured correctly.
Successfully signing in with an ArcGIS account will change the app state to "Signed in":

You should also see a console message that prints the access token associated with your session. You can use this access token in requests to secure resources such as basemaps, data layers, and location services.

What's next

Learn how to use additional ArcGIS location services in these tutorials:

Edit feature data

Add, update, and delete data in a hosted feature layer.

Implement user authentication (Server)

Learn how to implement user authentication server-side using ArcGIS REST JS API

Get layer metadata

Access the name, description, type and other properties of a hosted layer.